Job Description: Program Director
Company: The Synthesis Institute
Location: Remote
Employment type: Part-Time Contractor
Start date: May/June 2024
About The Synthesis Institute
The Synthesis Institute is a global leader in the field of psychedelic education, dedicated to training the next generation of proficient psychedelic practitioners and preparing them to ethically and safely usher in a new paradigm in health, wellness, and care.
Founded in 2018 as a psychedelic retreat organization in The Netherlands, guiding more than 1,000 individuals through safe, professionally-guided psychedelic journeys, today, The Synthesis Institute is committed to offering high-quality professional education and training through its renowned Psychedelic Practitioner Training. Our training consists of the foundational and digital 13-month Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training, a 12-month Practicum program, and our multi-day Immersion Experience training retreat accessible to graduates of the digital Core training.
Deeply rooted in a vision that everyone should have access to psychedelic care, The Synthesis Institute is pioneering a unique and interdisciplinary educational approach bridging clinical research, wisdom traditions, scientific findings, and contemplative practices. The Synthesis Institute’s legacy of advancing psychedelic research in conjunction with renowned research institutions, along with the direct experience of offering professionally guided psychedelic journeys, creates the foundation of our commitment to psychedelic education and training ethical psychedelic practitioners who are well-versed in the skills and competencies necessary to facilitate safe access to psychedelics.
The Synthesis Institute operates under The Resurgence Training Institute, Inc., and is based in the United States. We pride ourselves on our global team, with members spread across Europe, South, and North America. We welcome candidates from around the world.
Responsibilities / Position Overview
The successful candidate for this dynamic and forward facing position will shape the future of our educational offerings and training programs, collaborating with leadership to set strategic directions in order to increase our impact, support our mission, and enhance program effectiveness. The role requires a visionary leader with a background in program direction or education, deep knowledge of psychedelic care and the emerging psychedelic field, and a commitment to the ethical implementation of psychedelic care. The time commitment is flexible and dependent on the candidate's availability and expertise.
Public Engagement, Collaborations, and Partnerships
- Spearhead public-facing initiatives and host all our public community events to amplify the Synthesis Institute’s vision and mission
- Participating in podcasts, host interviews with leaders in the field, and contributing to content creation efforts that enhance visibility and integrate with our mission.
- Expand the program’s impact and reach within the global community of both aspiring and established ethical psychedelic practitioners.
- Assemble a diverse advisory committee comprising selected, diverse leaders, wisdom elders, visionaries, and seasoned practitioners.
New & Existing Program Development:
- Collaborate with the leadership team to identify opportunities for new offerings that align with the psychedelic ecosystem’s needs, and organizational vision.
- Work with key stakeholders to collect feedback and analysis of new and existing offerings
- Propose innovative strategies to enhance the effectiveness of our offerings, including evaluating new opportunities as legal jurisdictions broaden (i.e. Colorado school accrediation)
Program Oversight:
- Oversight of the Psychedelic Practitioner Training program team and Learning Facilitators.
- Act as a facilitator or host for digital live training sessions and contribute as faculty when needed. Host live events for students.
- Oversee performance analysis, improvement recommendations, and participant experience.
- Chair the disciplinary committee to uphold the Synthesis Code of Ethics and Conduct, and guiding strategic program expansion and credentialing in various jurisdictions.
- Revise and enhance the PPCT program content by integrating student feedback and aligning it with evolving needs. This ensures our offerings remain relevant and effectively meet the learner outcomes of our program and the broader psychedelic ecosystem.
- Evaluate new opportunities for credentialed training programs in US or international jurisdictions as the legal framework for psychedelic facilitation evolves.
We are looking for someone with:
- Education or professional background facilitating transformation for others in a traditional or non-traditional setting
- Extensive personal and professional experience with non-ordinary states
- 3+ years of experience as Program Director, Director of Education, or comparable experience
- 3+ years of experience working in product leadership roles
- Ability to effectively lead staff across a variety of functional roles
- An ongoing commitment to a deep personal practice
- Flexibility of schedule to accommodate our international team and participant base
You are the ideal candidate if you are:
- Passionate about increasing our impact through engaging in public-speaking activities such as live events, interviews, conferences, panels, etc.
- A visionary leader, passionate about leading the evolution of our educational and training offerings over the next years.
- A versatile leader, who supports the strategic content and programmatic vision while leading a team and leaning into creating new educational offerings
Our culture: As an organization, we take our responsibility to create a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive psychedelic future seriously. We strongly encourage individuals from historically marginalized communities (BIPOC, LGBTQ, differently abled, women, and more) to apply.
Salary and Perks
- Remuneration: competitive salary, based on experience and hours of committment
- Flexible Schedule: Define your work hours, ensuring you respect deadlines, and attend required meetings.
- Fully remote: Our global team allows for flexibility in location and travel while working
- Journey: Join on of Synthesis’ regular Immersion retreats
How to Apply
Please send your CV and a brief cover letter explaining how your experience and background match with what we are looking for to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!